STAR SPORTS BRIGHTON FESTIVAL - LIVE BLOG

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

BETTING & RACING: Star Sports Festival, Brighton Wednesday

Simon Nott reports live from Brighton racecourse…

It was a fantastic feeling to be back on a racecourse, even though Brighton isn’t one I’m that familiar with.

The last time I was here was this meeting last year and prior to that just the once, I suppose it’s always been a fair clip from Devon.

On a day like today, glorious, it’s a beautiful place to be. The team, dried out from Goodwood were Steve Brewer head of on-course operations, and Lofty, dependable old guard and shop steward. Both are top chaps.

The sun had brought the crowds out, all tables were bagged by shorts-clad punters way before the very civilised first race 3pm off time.

3:00 – ⭐ Star Sports Festival Of Racing Handicap (Class 4) (3YO plus) 5½f

The biggest bet in the opener was £100 on the jolly Crow’s Nest but it was a fair betting race. With brisk money albeit in modest denominations. The best-backed horse in the race overall was Faustus, the first bet in the book was £10 for Robert Cowell’s runner at 8/1. That looked value after the gelding won cosily under Jack Mitchell returning 11/2.

The book copped £375 after holding just over £800. A good start, you have to set realistic expectations, it’s not Royal Ascot.

3:30 – ⭐ Call Star Sports On 08000 521 321 Handicap (Class 6) (3YO only) 6f

There was a bet of note in the next, a punter had a grand on the jolly Annie Law with Steve and Lofty at ‘tips-on’ 10/11.

He’d have been no doubt chuffed at the price he got on her, just not so enamoured that his fancy only finished runner-up despite being backed into 4/5 on course, the SP was 8/11.

Jack Channon’s Phoenix Glow won the race, the firm saw about £100 in bits and bobs for the winner but still won £1000 on the race, with everything in their traditional places in the book.

There was even time for Lofty to teach BHA graduate Lewis how to tie a Windsor knot. Next lesson, fractions!

4:00 – ⭐ Star Sports Best Odds Guaranteed Classified Stakes (Class 6) (3YO plus) 1m 2f

The third on the card was a heat that came alive on the rails. Punters got stuck into the race with plenty of horses laid. Bets included £1000 – £400 Daisy Roots and £900 – £150 each-way Temur Khan. Unsurprisingly, at the off those were the two bad losers Lofty and Steve couldn’t really have written a better result in.

10/1 virtual skinner Global Style found another gear close after after Temur Khan hit the front looking the likely winner but eventually finishing fourth. Daisy Roots finished third which helped the places copping the book £1620.

It was all adding up to a good day at the races for the sponsors.

4:30 – Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Brighton Mile Challenge Handicap (Class 4) (3YO plus) 1m

The race sponsored by Carlsberg saw some decent betting. A punter had £250 each-way topped up with an extra £100 on Youarenotforgiven at 5/1 then another had £400 each-way at 9/2.

Others well-backed but to weight of money rather than lumps were Global Esteem and Poetic Force.

They were both still losers at off for £300 and £600 despite the money the former which was losing over £3000 in the win book.

‘Complete Skinner!’ That was the welcome reaction from Lofty when 40/1 chance Shoot To Kill won the race, beating 4/1 favourite Colbalt Blue into second. The runner-up was also a winner in the book while Lofty had backed the third Otago so had the obligatory lean-up in the book. The book kept £2600 of what it took, which wasn’t much more than that. Aye Aye.

Between races, a chap came to the joint and asked if there was anywhere he could get a grand on. Steve told him that he’d come to the right place. He didn’t pull a grand up, but would he be back with the ammo?

5:00 – ⭐ Starsportsbet.Co.Uk Classified Stakes (Class 6) (3YO plus) 1m

There was a grand bet on the next race, but not that fella. This was a €4000 – €1000 bet on Tony Carroll’s De Vegas Kid. Early money had all been for Gary Moore’s Voodoo Ray at 5/4 small but plenty of it.

At the off, Steve was screaming 13/8 but there were few takers. The book had just the one boogie at the off, losing just under £3000 in the win book.

They knew. De Vegas Kid bolted up. SP 10/3. Come racing.

5:30 – ⭐ Download The Star Sports App Handicap (Class 6) (3YO plus) 7f

With three minutes to go to the lucky last, Steve and Lofty were still looking out eagerly for the guy who asked about having a grand on. He’d so far been unsighted.

There had been steady business with over a grand in the hod with Local Boy and Brilliant Blue losers for a monkey a piece. In fairness, the punter who wanted to bet £1000 could have bet it with any of the rails books. Luckily for blog and book purposes, Steve and Lofty did lay a bet of £900 – £400 Local Bay near the off.

Going into the last the book was winning £2600 so a winning day was certain, though the potential bonanza vanished when the gamble was landed in the penultimate.

Local Bay looked likely to ruin the day some more until the 9/4 second favourite Optiva Star came to the rescue getting up close home to win the book £800 which was a turnaround of about £1300 resulting in a first day of the meeting cop of £3600.

A great start, business was good, the punters having it on and above all, the sun was shining.

We’re back tomorrow!

SIMON NOTT

Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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